Article
The Prevalence of the Linburg-Comstock anomaly in a Multiracial Population Sample
Search Medline for
Authors
Published: | February 6, 2020 |
---|
Outline
Text
Objectives/Interrogation: The Linburg-Comstock (LC) anomaly is an anatomical variation characterized by the interconnection between the tendons of the thumb flexor and the deep flexor digitorum muscles. This interconnection is usually asymptomatic and as a consequence of its presence, the flexion of the thumb is accompanied by the simultaneous bending movement of the indicator alone or accompanied by the other long fingers. The prevalence of the Linburg-Comstock anomaly in a multiracial population sample is different from that reported in the literature.
Methods: We evaluated 1008 volunteers, 531 men and 477 women, totaling 2016 hands. The two clinical tests (Linburg and Comstock, 1979) were used for the clinical diagnosis of the anomalous tendon slips from the flexor pollicis longus to the flexor digitorum profundus. In the flexion test, the volunteer was asked to flex her thumb with a flat hand and supine forearm. When simultaneous flexion of one or more long fingers was observed, this was considered to indicate the presence of the anomaly (Figure 1A). When the flexion test indicated presence of the anomaly a second test was performed. The volunteer was asked to flex her thumb while the examiner maintained passive extension of the index finger. If the participant reported pain or discomfort in the distal volar region of the forearm and wrist, this was considered symptomatic of an anomalous tendon slip(Image IB).
Results and Conclusions: The mean age of the volunteers was 38,3 years (18~70 years). The Linburg-Comstock anomaly was observed in 564 individuals (52.63%), p=0,4377, being bilateral in 300 individuals (52,67%) and unilateral in 162 (28,72%), p=0,0016. In the male population, the prevalence was 291 individuals (54,80%) and in the female population, 273 individuals (57.23%), no statistical significance for gender. The pain test was positive in 105 (36,08%) of males and females in 150 (54,94%), p=0,0001.